New, precise, and efficient DNA sequencing method may lead to easier testing and earlier cancer detection
Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have invented a new way to map specific DNA markings called 5-methylcytosine (5mC) which regulate gene expression and have key roles in health and disease.
The innovative technique allows for scientists to profile DNA using very small samples and without damaging the sample which means it can potentially be used in liquid biopsies (testing for cancer markers in the bloodstream) and early cancer detection. Additionally, unlike current methods, it also can clearly identify 5mC without confusing it with other common markings. The new approach, named Direct Methylation Sequencing (DM-Seq), is detailed in an article.
The researchers performed DM-Seq on glioblastoma-type brain tumor samples and demonstrated that, in comparison with traditional BS-Seq, DM-Seq was better able to distinguish 5mC from 5hmC at key sites on the genome where methylation levels can be used to predict patient outcomes.
The researchers also compared DM-Seq to another new, emerging 5mC-sequencing technique called TAPS, which is being explored for potential applications in cancer diagnostics, showing that the latter has a previously undiscovered drawback that reduces its 5mC-detection sensitivity.
